Switch heel block



Aug. l0, 1954 R. E. MILLER 2,636,026

swITcH HEEL BLOCK Filed June` 8, 1949 s sheets-sheet 1 LILI/613301 Millen SWITCH HEEL BLOCK Filed June 8, 1949 5 sheets-sheet 2 Aug. 10, 1954 R. E. MILLER SWITCH HEEL BLOCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 8, 1949 Patented Aug. 10, 1954 UNITED STATES .ai'rENr OFFICE Bethlehem Steel Com Pennsylvania pany, a corporation of Application June 8, 1949, Serial No. 97,730

7 Claims.

This invention relates in general to railway track structures, and more particularly to a welded heel block for use with standard railroad switches.

lbetween the head and the base of the rail, and

are sometimes weakened dangerously by blowholes and other hidden defects.

Standard rail joint bars or angle bars, on the other hand, while made for a diflerent purpose, are rolled to close tolerances and give a smooth andaccurate t in the rail shing. They also have other` advantages in strength, ductility, and relatively low cost.

One object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a better fitting switch heel block by the use of standard angle bars in a fabricated assembly.

A further object is to provide a stronger and more reliable fabricated heel block.

Still another object is to reduce manufacturing costs for heel blocks.

Additional objects, purposes and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the specification, in the attached three (3) sheets of drawings, and in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of the heel block, shown as interposed between uncanted standard rails, and fabricated from head contact angle bars of the depending flange type and a suitably cut or machined welded filler plate;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is also a transverse vertical section, but taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a modification of the invention, shown between uncanted rails, and fabricated from suitably machined toeless angle bars and rectangular ller plates;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the modication shown in Fig. 6, at the wide end of the heel block;

Fig. 6 is also an end View, but at the narrow end of the heel block;

Fig. 7 is a top plan View of another modification of the invention, shown between rails canted for a left hand switch, and fabricated from toeless angle bars and cut or machined filler plates;

Fig. 8 is an end view of the foregoing modification, at the wide end of the heel block; and

Fig. 9 is a narrow end view of the same.

Referring now to the drawings generally, it will be noted that the switch heel block ofkmy invention consists basically of two standard angle bars welded together with interposed filler bars or plates to give the dimensions required by the switch design. Such angle bars are made in the headfree type, contacting the upper web and the llet of the rail only, or in the head Contact type, which term is self-explanatory. While the drawings show only the use of the head contact type,

the invention is equally applicable to the use of the headfree type of angle bars.

Referring now to Figs. l to 3 in particular, reference numeral l will designate the switch rail, 2 the stock rail, and 3 the flanged outside angle bars with spike slots 4. The heel block 5 comprises the two angle bars 6 and l, each sawed to proper length and having a reinforced inner head portion 8, web 9, and base It with elongated outwardly depending anges ll. Said depending flanges Il are welded together as at l2, and the upper side surfaces I3 of the angle bars are joined together by a horizontal top filler plate it welded thereto a sufcient distance below the top to provide clearance for the passage of wheel ilanges. Before welding, holes are drilled or punched as required to accommodate the through bolts i5, which with thimble I6, lock washers l1, and hex nuts I8 will retain the block in the desired position between the rails.

Since the form of the heel block is substantially that of a hollow wedge-shaped box girder, the side edges I9 of the filler plate it and the mating edges 2c of the depending flanges Ii are machined as shown to provide the desired degree of longitudinal taper, and are then assembled in a jig, and tack welded. Final welding is then preferably accomplished out of the jig with a high speed automatic Welder.

The angle bars 2l and 22 shown in Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive as forming the side members of the heel block are of the type generally used with heavier (e. g., lb. and 155 lb.) rails, and having short outwardly extending upper and lower anges 23 and 2t. As shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the side edges 25 and 26 of said flanges may be machined to a proper taper, and rectangular filler plates 27 and 28, welded therebetween; or as in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the flanges 23 and 2d may be left substantially untouched and the side edges 29 and 39 of the ller plates 2l and 28 may be machined to provide the proper taper before vention in considerable detail, I do not wish to i be limited narrowly to the exact and specificzpaiticulars described, but I may also use such substitutions, modications, or eqpivalents thereofas are embraced within the scopreV of the inven tion, or pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A heel block for a railway track structure comprising a pair of rolled rail joint bars; and' at' least one filler plate welded therebetween.

2'. A heel block for a railwayl trackstructure comprising a pair of cao-planar rolled rail joint bars, and a pair ofv ller' plateswelded therebetweenV inspaced parallel relation.

3. A switch heel' block for a railway track structure comprising a pair of@ rolled rail joint members adapted to engagethez fishing surfaces ofadjacent rails, and interposed` horizontal. plate members welded` to saidv roll'ed rail joint members.

4. A switch heel1 block for a railway track structure comprising a pair of rolled angle splice bars having depending flanges; said. flanges being machined and welded togetherto form a longitudinally` taperedn U-shaped" member,y and a horizontal filler platel tapered in. the: same direction welded to and bridging the upper sides of said latter member;

5. A switch heel block for a railway track structure comprising a pair of angularly disposed co-plana1` rolled rail joint bars each having a pair of parallel projecting longitudinal side flanges, and substantially wedge-shaped horizontal iiller plates welded between correspondingflanges andi rigidly joining the pairo rolled rail joint bars.

6. A switch heel block for a railway track structure comprising a pair of angularly disposed rolled` rail joint bars each having a pair of similarly tapering longitudinal side flanges, and sub :stantiallyI rectangular iiller plates horizontally disposed: andj welded between opposite flanges of the pair of rolled rail joint bars.

7:., Ai. switchi heel block for a canted rail switch structure, comprising a pair of upright rolled rail joint bars in relatively offset relation, and horizontal ller plates welded between said rolled rail joint bars.

eterences: Cited'. in the, rile. of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,322,233 Disbrow Nov. 18, 1919 1,721,4160.- Mariman- Julyl 16, 1929 1,788,622, GrillispieV Jan. 13, 1931 1,873,915.- Aid Aug. 23, 1932 2,063,706 Soderberg Dec. 8, 1936 2,139,288 Shipleyl Dec. G, 1938 2,231,888 Couch Feb. 1.8,l 1941 FOREIGNV PATENTS Number Country Date 493,5821 Germany Feb. 271 1930 

